Please join us as we say THANK YOU to Micki Chulick for her time and service on the DeKalb County Community Foundation Board of Directors.

Micki served on the Community Foundation Board for a combined 15 years, 2001-2006 and then again from 2013-2021. On the Board, she represented DeKalb, “My husband Tony and I moved to DeKalb in 1975,” she said. “We came expecting to stay 2-3 years, but quickly realized this would be a great place to raise a family. The draw was the excellent educational system, diverse population, and the community benefits from having a major university nearby. For us, DeKalb offered a small-town feel with large town amenities.”

During her many years of service, Micki served on various Foundation committees, including Executive, DeKalb County Nonprofit Partnership (DCNP), Finance, Impact Investing, COVID-19 Response, and more. She also served as Vice President and Board President.

One of her favorite committees to serve on was the DCNP Steering Committee. “Having worked in social service my entire career, I knew the value of collaboration,” she said. “DCNP provides that essential backbone and structure needed for a successful nonprofit network. Through leadership, professional development, and collaboration, DCNP strengthens the nonprofit sector.”

A few highlights were the work on the Stronger Together campaign and the Foundation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal of the Stronger Together Campaign was to grow the DCNP Endowment Fund. She found the positive response from the Foundation Board and community at large to be heartwarming and inspiring. “To me, it was validation of the important role that DCNP plays in DeKalb County,” she said.

She continued, “How quickly the Foundation was able to pivot when the pandemic began was amazing. Partnering to create an advisory committee of funders to oversee the grant process, applying for funding from the Illinois COVID-19 Relief Fund, creating a grant application, and providing organizations with immediate support to continue providing needed services, was all beyond impressive. In some cases, the distributed dollars served as lifelines for organizations that were in dire need.”

In a final question, we asked Micki to share advice for new and future Board members. She described her time on the Board as rewarding, eye-opening, and challenging. “Rewarding because you become part of an organization that does meaningful and impactful work for the betterment of DeKalb County,” she explained. “Eye-opening, because of the many needs you will become aware of. And challenging because of the many worthwhile requests for funding that always exceed the number of dollars available.”

Thank you, Micki Chulick, for giving of your time, talent, treasure, ties, and testimony to DeKalb County. We greatly appreciate your commitment and pursuit of making positive change. You are a true philanthropist, and for that, we are grateful!